A newly built Chinese nuclear-powered submarine sank near a shipyard in the city of Wuhan earlier this year, according to sources reported by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
Despite the incident occurring in late May or early June, Chinese authorities have yet to officially acknowledge the disaster. Key details, including whether any of the crew survived, remain unknown.
The nuclear submarine involved in the incident is reportedly the first of the new “Zhou” class of submarines, which were under construction as part of China’s expanding naval capabilities. According to the WSJ, the submarine sank while undergoing its final outfitting at a shipyard close to Wuhan, a major city located in the central part of the country.
The submarine’s sinking has sparked concerns about the safety of the crew and the potential environmental consequences. However, Chinese officials have not confirmed whether the vessel was carrying nuclear fuel at the time of the accident. It is also unclear if the submarine’s crew was on board during the incident, and no official statement has been made regarding casualties or injuries.
Satellite Imagery Raises Questions
The first signs of the disaster emerged over the summer, when Thomas Shugart, a former U.S. Navy submarine officer and senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), noticed unusual activity near the shipyard. Shugart highlighted the presence of floating cranes in satellite images taken by commercial provider Planet Labs PBC, which he interpreted as part of rescue efforts to retrieve the sunken submarine.
Further investigation revealed that the submarine had been built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and was spotted near a dock on the Yangtze River in late May, just before it was expected to commence sea trials. The submarine was in the final stages of being equipped with its necessary components before it could enter active service.
Radiation Concerns
According to U.S. officials cited by the WSJ, there has been no detection of environmental or water contamination from radiation, suggesting that the risk of a nuclear leak is low. This assessment is supported by Shugart, who noted that the submarine’s reactors were unlikely to have been operating at full capacity, given that the vessel had not yet left the shipyard for open-water trials.
The absence of significant radiation detection in the area further indicates that, if nuclear fuel was present on the submarine, it remained secure within the reactor. While this has helped alleviate some concerns about a major environmental disaster, the fate of the submarine’s crew, if present during the sinking, remains uncertain.
Official Silence
Despite the reports and growing speculation, Chinese officials have not provided any comment on the matter. The lack of official recognition from the Chinese government is consistent with previous instances where sensitive military incidents have been tightly controlled and not publicly acknowledged.
Experts note that this incident could represent a significant setback for China’s naval ambitions, especially if it leads to delays in the deployment of the Zhou-class submarines. As China continues to expand its naval fleet as part of its broader military modernisation programme, the success of such vessels is critical to its strategic aims in the Asia-Pacific region.
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